Gas dosing apparatus with directional control valve

ABSTRACT

A gas dosing apparatus is provided that includes an inlet configured to receive gas, and a directional control valve connected to the inlet and having a first position and a second position. The gas dosing apparatus also includes a fixed volume reservoir connected to the directional control valve and receiving gas from the inlet, via the directional control valve, while the directional control valve is in the first position. The gas dosing apparatus further includes an outlet connected to the directional control valve and outputting a gas dose received from the fixed volume reservoir, via the directional control valve, while the directional control valve is in the second position

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates generally to a gas dosing apparatus, andmore particularly, to an apparatus that provides volume-controlled gasdosing using a directional control valve.

BACKGROUND

Recently developed blood platelet collection processes such as thosedescribed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 9,743,660 and 10,412,957 as well as UnitedStates Patent Application Publication No. 2018/249703, the collectedblood platelets are required to be stored in a platelet collection bagthat is placed inside a barrier film bag to extend the shelf life of theplatelets. The internal space existing between the blood plateletcollection bag and the barrier film bag is filled with a xenon andoxygen gas mixture (e.g. 87% Xe/13% O₂ mixture). This dosed gaseousvolume must be controlled and consistent to prevent overfilling orunderfilling. Overfilling may result in bursting of the barrier filmbag, while underfilling may reduce the effectiveness of the gas mixturesurrounding the platelet collection bag.

An apparatus used for proper dosing of the mixture to the barrier filmbag is disposed between a gas cylinder and the barrier film bag.Therefore, an inlet connection of the dosing apparatus must becompatible with an outlet of the gas cylinder providing the gas mixture,and an outlet connection of the dosing apparatus must be compatible witha unique or proprietary inlet connection on the barrier film bag.

When used as part of a dosing apparatus, a gas flow meter with atotalizer measures a flow volume of gas through a tube but requires acontrol system and a power source to automatically provide a consistentdosing. Thus, the inclusion of the gas flow meter in the dosingapparatus also increases an overall cost of the dosing apparatus.Similarly, a metering pump may connect to a gas source for automatic gasdosing but may also require a power source.

SUMMARY

According to one embodiment, a gas dosing apparatus is provided thatincludes an inlet configured to receive gas, and a directional controlvalve connected to the inlet and having a first position and a secondposition. The gas dosing apparatus also includes a fixed volumereservoir connected to the directional control valve and receiving gasfrom the inlet, via the directional control valve, while the directionalcontrol valve is in the first position. The gas dosing apparatus furtherincludes an outlet connected to the directional control valve andoutputting a gas dose received from the fixed volume reservoir, via thedirectional control valve, while the directional control valve is in thesecond position.

According to one embodiment, a gas dosing system is provided thatincludes a compressed gas cylinder and a valve integrated pressureregulator (VIPR) connected to the compressed gas cylinder and providinggas at a consistent pressure from the compressed gas cylinder. The gasdosing system also includes a directional control valve having a firstposition and a second position. The gas dosing system additionallyincludes a fixed volume reservoir connected to the directional controlvalve and receiving gas from the VIPR, via the directional controlvalve, while the directional control valve is in the first position. Thegas dosing system further includes a barrier film bag receiving a gasdose from the fixed volume reservoir, via the directional control valve,while the directional control valve is in the second position.

According to one embodiment, a method is provided for operating a gasdosing apparatus. An inlet of the gas dosing apparatus is connected to aVIPR of a gas cylinder. An outlet of the gas dosing apparatus isconnected to a barrier film bag. A button is depressed closing adirectional control valve of the gas dosing apparatus and allowing gasflow from the VIPR to a fixed volume reservoir of the gas dosingapparatus, via the directional control valve, at a consistent pressure.The button is released opening the directional control valve andtransferring a gas dose from the fixed volume reservoir to the barrierfilm bag, via the directional control valve.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other aspects, features, and advantages of certainembodiments of the present disclosure will be more apparent from thefollowing detailed description, when taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a gas dosing system, according to anembodiment of the disclosure; and

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a method for operating a gas dosingapparatus, according to another embodiment of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure are described indetail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be notedthat the same elements will be designated by the same reference numeralsalthough they are shown in different drawings. In the followingdescription, specific details such as detailed configurations andcomponents are merely provided to assist with the overall understandingof the embodiments of the present disclosure. Therefore, it should beapparent to those skilled in the art that various changes andmodifications of the embodiments described herein may be made withoutdeparting from the scope of the present disclosure. In addition,descriptions of well-known functions and constructions are omitted forclarity and conciseness. The terms described below are terms defined inconsideration of the functions in the present disclosure, and may bedifferent according to users, intentions of the users, or customs.Therefore, the definitions of the terms should be determined based onthe contents throughout this specification.

The present disclosure may have various modifications and variousembodiments, among which embodiments are described below in detail withreference to the accompanying drawings. However, it should be understoodthat the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments, butincludes all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives within thescope of the present disclosure.

Although the terms including an ordinal number such as first, second,etc. may be used for describing various elements, the structuralelements are not restricted by the terms. The terms are only used todistinguish one element from another element. For example, withoutdeparting from the scope of the present disclosure, a first structuralelement may be referred to as a second structural element. Similarly,the second structural element may also be referred to as the firststructural element. As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any andall combinations of one or more associated items.

The terms used herein are merely used to describe various embodiments ofthe present disclosure but are not intended to limit the presentdisclosure. Singular forms are intended to include plural forms unlessthe context clearly indicates otherwise. In the present disclosure, itshould be understood that the terms “include” or “have” indicate theexistence of a feature, a number, a step, an operation, a structuralelement, parts, or a combination thereof, and do not exclude theexistence or probability of the addition of one or more other features,numerals, steps, operations, structural elements, parts, or combinationsthereof.

Unless defined differently, all terms used herein have the same meaningsas those understood by a person skilled in the art to which the presentdisclosure belongs. Terms such as those defined in a generally useddictionary are to be interpreted to have the same meanings as thecontextual meanings in the relevant field of art, and are not to beinterpreted to have ideal or excessively formal meanings unless clearlydefined in the present disclosure.

Embodiments of the disclosure describe the provision of avolume-controlled dose of 87% Xe/13% O2 from a compressed gas cylinderinto a barrier film bag, or other customer storage vessel, with a custominlet connection. The dosing system uses a relationship between pressureand volume to achieve consistent gas dosing.

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a gas dosing system, according to anembodiment of the disclosure. A compressed gas cylinder 102 is a sourcefor providing 87% Xe/13% O2 to a dosing apparatus 120. Although aspecific gas mixture is described herein, embodiments of the disclosureare not limited thereto, and any gas may be provided to the system fordosing. The gas mixture is provided from the compressed gas cylinder 102through a valve integrated pressure regulator (VIPR) 104. Although aVIPR is described, embodiments of the disclosure are not limitedthereto, and any mechanism that controls the pressure of the gas mixtureto a desired value may be used in the system.

The pressure regulated gas mixture is provided through a VIPR outlet 106and a connected inlet 108 of the gas dosing apparatus 120. Theconnection between the VIPR outlet 106 and the inlet 108 may be uniqueand/or rare in order to prevent connection of an incorrect gas for theintended use of the dosing apparatus 120. The connection between theVIPR outlet 106 and the inlet 108 may also be a quick snap-inconnection.

The inlet 108 is connected to a directional control valve 110 of thedosing apparatus 120. The directional control valve 110 is alsoconnected to a fixed volume reservoir 112 of the dosing apparatus 120,and an outlet 114 of the dosing apparatus 120. The directional controlvalve 110 is a single-action manual valve, that permits flow in eitherone of two directions, one at a given time. The direction of flow may bechanged by depressing an associated button of the dosing apparatus 120,and then changed back by releasing the associated button. While a buttonis described herein as the controlling mechanism of the dosing apparatus120, embodiments are not limited thereto, and any manual mechanism thatchanges the direction of the control valve may be utilized. Thedirectional control valve 110 connects the inlet 108 to the fixed volumereservoir 112 or connects the fixed volume reservoir 112 to the outlet114.

A resting state of the directional control valve 110 is in an openposition connecting the fixed volume reservoir 112 to the outlet 114.When a user depresses the button associated with the directional controlvalve 110, the directional control valve 110 is transitioned to a closedposition. While in the closed position, the directional control valve110 connects the inlet 108 to the fixed volume reservoir 112, therebyallowing gas flow from the VIPR 104 to the fixed volume reservoir 112and filling the fixed volume reservoir 112 with the 87% Xe/13% O2 gasmixture from the compressed gas cylinder 102. The fixed volume reservoir112 is filled with the gas mixture at a consistent pressure.

When the button associated with the directional control valve 110 isreleased, the directional control valve 110 transitioned to an openposition. While in the open position, the directional control valveallows for the transfer of the gas mixture, in a dose volume, from thefixed volume reservoir 112 to the outlet 114 and a connected barrierfilm bag 116. While a barrier film bag is described herein, embodimentsof the disclosure are not limited thereto, and the fixed volumereservoir 112 may be connected to any customer storage vessel thatrequires controlled and consistent gas dosing. The dosing system uses arelationship between pressure and volume to achieve such gas dosing. Theconnection between the outlet 114 and the barrier film bag 116 may be aquick snap-in connection, and the system outlet 114 may be customized tomate with a custom inlet connection of the barrier film bag 116. Thebarrier film bag 116 is illustrated as surrounding a platelet collectionbag 118, for example.

The dosing apparatus 120 is manually operated. The operator connects thesystem outlet 114 to the barrier film bag 116, depresses the manualbutton of the directional control valve 110 to fill the fixed volumereservoir 112, and releases the manual button to dose the barrier filmbag 116 with the gas mixture.

The mechanical system allows for ease of use. Operation of themechanical system is low cost because it does not require a controlsystem, battery, or power supply. Appropriate dosing is provided withthe press and release of a single button associated with the directionalcontrol valve 110.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating operation of a gas dosing apparatus,according to an embodiment. At 202, an inlet of a dosing apparatus isconnected to a VIPR of a compressed gas cylinder. At 204, an outlet ofthe dosing apparatus is connected to a barrier film bag. At 206, abutton of the dosing apparatus is depressed, closing a directionalcontrol valve of the dosing apparatus and permitting flow of gas fromthe compressed gas cylinder and VIPR, through the directional controlvalve, and to a fixed volume reservoir of the dosing apparatus, at aconsistent pressure. At 208, the button is released, opening thedirectional control valve and permitting flow of gas at a dose volumefrom the fixed volume reservoir, through the directional control valve,and to the barrier film bag.

Although certain embodiments of the present disclosure have beendescribed in the detailed description of the present disclosure, thepresent disclosure may be modified in various forms without departingfrom the scope of the present disclosure. Thus, the scope of the presentdisclosure shall not be determined merely based on the describedembodiments, but rather determined based on the accompanying claims andequivalents thereto.

1. A gas dosing apparatus comprising: an inlet configured to receivegas; a directional control valve connected to the inlet and having afirst position and a second position; a fixed volume reservoir connectedto the directional control valve and receiving gas from the inlet, viathe directional control valve, while the directional control valve is inthe first position; and an outlet connected to the directional controlvalve and outputting a gas dose received from the fixed volumereservoir, via the directional control valve, while the directionalcontrol valve is in the second position; wherein a first connectionbetween the inlet and the valve integrated pressure regulator is aunique snap-in connection; and wherein a second connection between theoutlet and a barrier film bag is another unique snap-in connection. 2.The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the directional control valve is asingle action valve that changes from the second position to the firstposition through manual operation.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2, whereinthe directional control valve operates in a single direction at a time.4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the manual operation comprisespressing a button associated with the directional control valve.
 5. Theapparatus of claim 4, wherein the fixed volume reservoir is filled withthe gas at a consistent pressure upon pressing the button closing thedirectional control valve.
 6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the gasdose is transferred from the fixed volume reservoir to the outlet uponreleasing the button opening the directional control valve.
 7. Theapparatus of claim 1, wherein the inlet is connected to a valveintegrated pressure regulator of a gas cylinder that provides the gas tothe inlet at a consistent pressure.
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